When many businesses seek to upgrade their online directory listings, they focus on Google, Bing and Yahoo!. It’s understandable, these three search engine listings certainly account for the majority of all search traffic. However, they are not the only online directories potential customers use. Companies who focus on the big three and ignore other online directories stand to lose the business those directories would create unless they update their pages proactively.

What’s in a logo? It’s a simple question without a simple answer. The success of a logo varies wildly, as does the price companies pay for its creation. Some well-known logos were created for meager amounts such as the Nike Swoosh, created for a mere $35 in 1971. Other companies however have spent far more to create their logos. Consider the following:

The term “community activist” has taken on negative connotations thanks to the last few election cycles. It has been derided as a fake job and something to land on if you can’t describe what someone does for a living.

Yet for many small business owners, being a community activist is an unwritten part of the job description.

A few weeks ago, a Thai restaurant recently opened in my neighborhood. Word-of-mouth and positive buzz were spreading around town, as several friends were sharing how great the food was. While I knew the exact location of the restaurant, I wanted to check out their hours and menu online before jumping in the car. That’s the moment the buzz stopped.

Last fall, Brittany Maestas took the plunge into entrepreneurship after years of working in the event planning business. Like many new startups, her interest and passion were strong enough to finally lead to a business plan, where she would actually get paid for the work she was doing. We caught up with her recently to talk about Denver’s newest event planning company, BK Event Design.

The phrase “Just Google it” is synonymous with search. While many users “Google” the item they’re looking for, they don’t always search using the Silicon Valley giant. In fact, Bing, which launched in 2009, has established itself as a competitor, and research shows that Yahoo! is growing fast and gaining market share.

Tuesday, March 10 was a dark day in Minneapolis for anyone who works for the Target Corporation, but it might also turn out to be a day in which dozens upon dozens of new entrepreneurs were born.

Now granted, it is hard to think positively when 1,700 people lose their jobs in one massive corporate restructuring at Target. Yet as history has proven, many small business ideas are sparked when the axe comes down.

A well-designed logo is priceless for a company. It develops brand loyalty, creates brand awareness and helps you generate steady sales. On the other hand, a poor logo can push potential customers away from your brand, reduce your sales and hurt your business.

People searching the Internet are getting smarter and faster at judging company websites . So what happens when one of these smart folks lands on a site with a gigantic, fake stock photo plastered across the homepage? New studies are showing there is no connection or relationship being built, resulting in a tendency to leave the site. A photo should add value to your site, not detract from it.